, 1887-11-20
AIDS FOR HE CRIPPLED.
Tho Use of Artificial Limbs More Cen
eral Than Most People Imagine.

Tho Use of Artificial Limbs More Cen
eral Than Most People Imagine.
Very few people nave any idea of how
wide is the presence of artificial limbs
legs more especially. Arms and hands,
which trace their origin to art rather
than nature, are sufficiently conspicuous;
with legs it is different. An artificial
hand will pass muster with the casual
observer. but its existence cannot be con-
cealed from persons who are at all init
mate with its owner. On the other hand,
a man or woman may go about with the
help of a manufactured leg, and all that
their acquaintance will think is that
they are slightly lame, such is the per-
lection TO which the making of these use
full helps to mankind has been brought.
A man can walk with an artificial leg
almost as well as if he had never lost one
of those with which nature provided him;
he can sit naturally, and rise without ap-
parent effort; all that is necessary is to
get the limb from a good maker, and to
practice its use diligently. There is moth
ing new about artificial limbs. Thu an
clients made use of them, and attempted
something more ambitious than mere
stumps. 1t is only of recent years, how
ever, that legs and arms nave been turned
out with really artistic skill. The con-
struction of the best limbs is ex-
tremely simple; there is none of
the complicated machinery which some
years ago was introduced into these
articles with a view to rendering them
less conspicuous, but with the result that
there was, almost invariably, a rafting
noise that gave due notice of the approach
of a game leg. And this continual noise
was not the only disadvantage attaching
to these elaborate pieces of machinery.
They were, as was only natural, con-
stantly out of order, and their behavior
could never be relied upon, Though they
might be trusted not to carry their luck
less owners all over the world at whirl-
wind speed, in the fashion treated of in
the old ballad, they were very apt to go
wrong at critical moments, and cover
with confusion the persons whom they
were supposed to assist.
Such unpleasant situations never now
adays occur with a well modelled and
skillfully designed false leg. Springs are
the only machinery used in its construc-
ton, and they are of a simple descrip-
ton. Legs are made of various materials.
but the best of all is willow, and in this
country it has been found that the willow
trees which grow along the banks of the
Kennel give wood that is superior to all
others for this purpose. Leather, papier-
mache, German silver. and corrugated
iron have all been given a trial, but none
of them do as well as good willow wood.
Cork, which is associated with artificial
legs in the minds of most people, is of no
use whatever. A good limb is a costly
thing, but it wears well, provided hat it
is properly cared for. Persons who can
afford it nave a couple exactly alike, and
nce a year they make a change and
send the one they have beer wearing for
the last twelve months to the maker.
who overhauls it and executes any
trifling repairs that may be necessary.
By following this course, a pair of good
legs may be made to last a lifetime
London Standard.